Proposition:

Let it be resolved that…

“Mandatory Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Should be implemented in Grades 11 and 12.”

Your honor, ladies and gentlemen good morning.

Article 2, Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “The prime duty of the Government is to serve
and protect the people. The Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfillment
thereof, all citizens may be required , under conditions provided by law, to render personal military or civil service.
In the same manner, Article 2, Section 13 of the 1987 Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall
inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.

Your honor today’s proposition deals with whether or not the Mandatory ROTC should be implemented in grades
11 and 12. Thus we are faced with the question: “Can the resolution put into practice the full extent of bill?”. Your
honor we stand resolved that It is absolutely necessary that ROTC should become Mandatory to Senior High School
students instead of having it optional in the tertiary level under RA 9163.

The affirmative argues on two levels;

First, It is the policy of the State to maintain a standing or regular military force in times of peace consonant to its
adequate and actual needs for the security of the State .

As of now the composition of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Officers Corps is 75% ROTC graduates while the
remaining 25% is PMA graduates. In a study conducted by the AFP, statistics shows that in the country, there are
only 59,637 graduates from both basic and advanced training of the ROTC in 2015-2016. In 2017-2018, it reached a
low of 46,936. Your honor, we believe that a reformed and amended ROTC program is important in improving these
figures.

Second, The objectives of the ROTC training, in pursuance to the National Defense Act and the Constitution is
aimed to instill patriotism, love of country, moral and spiritual virtues, respect for human rights and adherence to
the Constitution.

Part of its fulfillment is to develop disciplined and well-mannered citizens through programs of instructions that
includes but not limited to Basic military training in order to motivate, train, organize, and utilize for national
defense preparedness or civil-military operations. Civic training for students in order to be active participants and
volunteers for the development and improvement of health, education, ecology and environmental protection,
disaster risk reduction and management, human and civil rights awareness and law enforcement.

Your honor, we would like to emphasize and highlight that the country should have prior preparations in times of
calamities and disaster not only reliant to the government but embedded within the youth. That is why we affirm
and we argue that Mandatory ROTC should be implemented in grades 11 and 12.

Thank you your honor and I am ready for my interpolation.